AutoCAD LT for Windows, 1994

[f700es]

I have yet to fact check that AutoCAD LT at some point used WMF files for blocks.

 

Mine was the r12 based LT for students. I still have it in the box. All I need is a floppy drive to get the data off the discs

[SLW210]

There is of course the VM method. You could build a Virtual Machine which runs Windows 95 and then you're off to the races. It might run on Windows XP as well. I have several legacy pieces of hardware which will not run on anything newer than Windows XP. I hated swapping out the hard drives all the time so VM worked great for my needs. One day I will finally throw out this old HP Scanner but I will still use VM for running other OS'es like SUSE or FreeBSD on my Windows machines.

 

Or Dual Boot Windows.

 

DOSBox should also work to let you run old Windows 95 programs on Win 7.

 

But, I would suggest using one of the AutoCAD clones. Shouldn't be too much of a learning curve.

[ReMark]

Correct me if I am wrong but isn't WMF a Windows MetaFile? Why would blocks be in this format?

[f700es]

Correct me if I am wrong but isn't WMF a Windows MetaFile? Why would blocks be in this format?

 

Because they are still vector files and will work just fine in CAD. They are light weight as well. Not sure how they compare to current dwg files but back then they were probably smaller in file size than a block library of dwg would have been. These and the program all had to fit on 4 floppy disks.

[SLW210]

WMF can be converted to DWG in AutoCAD, just WMFIN and Explode. Save As .dwg.

[ReMark]

OK...as soon as I saw your answers the dim incandescent light bulb of my brain suddenly became a LED. I had completely forgotten about that. Thanks for waking this dinosaur from his lethargic state of mind!